Locomotive equipment fob



G. W. GERLACH.

LOCOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BLOGK SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FlLED MAYZB, I91].

Patented May 6, 1919,

e. w. GERLACH. LOCOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 19!! Patented May 6, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 G. W. GERLACH.

LOCOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26] NH].

Patented May 6, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES FEE.

LOCOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed May 26, 1917. Serial No. 171,217.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GERLAoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cumberland, in-the county of Cass and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive Equipmentsfor Block-Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in block signals and more particularly to the locomotive equipment and has for its primary object the pro vision of a track obstacle operated circuit breaker in a normally closed circuit with an electrically controlled brake valve actuating mechanism whereby opening of the circuit will cause application of the brakes.

Another object which I have in view is the provision of a brake actuating mechanism of such a character that it must be en ergized ifthe brake valve is to remain in released position and further so arranged that when it operates to apply the brakes by opening the brake valve it will merely move the brake valve to service position but will leave it free for further movement so that the engineer may move it to emergency position it he deems it advisable.

Still another object which I have in view is the construction of a circuit breaker adapted to be operated by the obstacle and so arranged that it will be operated irrespective of the direction in which the train is moving.

In this connection another object which I accomplish is the arrangement of the contact elements of the circuit breaker in such a manner that loss of any of the movable parts or breaking of any of the parts Wlll cause an opening of the circuit which it controls.

\Vith these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional locomotive showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig; 2 is an elevation of my invention, the wiring system being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the circuit breaker;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a track obstacle and the controlling mechanism therefor.

I In order to insure a clear and accurate understanding of my invention, I have illustrated it in connection with a locomotive 10' havingt-he usual brake valve 11 with the valve lever 12 movable between stops 13 and 14:, the valve being in released position when the lever engages the former stop and in emergency position when it engages the latter stop. My invention includes a brake valve operating mechanism indicated as a whole by the numeral 15 and a circuit breaker indicated as a whole by the numeral 16. The valve actuating mechanism includes an electric motor 17 having an armature shaft 18 provided at one end with a laterally directed arm 19. This motor is disposed with its armature shaft in alinement with the valve stem of the brake valve and at its lower end carries a collar 20 having a radially extending arm 21 provided with a. downwardly directed terminal 22 adapted to engage the valve lever 12. This motor is so arranged that when energized it will turn its shaft in a clockwise direction, looking down upon the motor and the stop 13 is extended to form astop for the arm 21. A bracket 23 secured to any convenient part of the locomotive cab carries a bell crank lever 2-1:, one arm of which supports a weight 25 and the other arm of which ongages the arm 19 of the motor shaft. These parts are so arranged that when the motor is energized and its lever arm 21 held in engagement with the stop 13 its arm 19 will hold the bell crank lever in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the weighted end of the lever elevated. On the other hand, when the motor is deenergized the weighted end of the lever will fall and act through the arm 19 to turn the armature shaft in the reverse direction to such an extent as to swing the valve lever 12 to service position. At this time the weightedv lever arm will have reached vertical position and further movement of the valve lever will not occur. However, the engineer may move the valve lever on to the emergency position if he believes it desirable.

Cooperating with this valve operating mechanism is the circuit breaker 16 which is usually supported by a suitable bracket 26 at any desired point upon the locomotive such as upon the pilot. Thiscircuit breaker, as shown in Fig. 3, has a substantially cylindrical casing 27 including the removable face plate 28. A bracket 29 is fixed within the casing and has an inwardly projecting substantially radial arm 30, to the free end of which is pivoted one end of a relatively strong but resilient contact blade 31, the free end of which projects through a slot 32 formed in the peripheral wall of the casing. This blade preferably tapers from its outer to its inner end, as shown in Fig. 2, and the slot 32 is so formed as to allow considerable swing of the blade. .Furthermore, the blade immediately outside of the casing is formed with oppositely directed arcuate guard plates 33 which overlie the slot or opening 32 in normal or central position of the blade and serve to keep dirt, rain, snow or other foreign matter out of the casing.

Secured to opposite sides of the bracket 29 are reversely bowed resilient. contact members 34 and 35 which at their free ends engage against opposite sides of the contact blade 31. These spring contacts are insulated from the bracket as shown at 36 and one of the securing screws 37 by which they are fastened to the bracket is so arranged as to serve as an adjusting means for governing the pressure which the contact will exert against the switch blade 31. As shown in Fig. 3 these spring contacts are of somewhat difi'erent length in order that they may not engage'against directly opposite portions of the switch blade 31 and each of the spring contacts carries an adjustable stop screw 38 engageable by a stud or stop 39 of insulating material carried by the casing. These stop screws 38 are so adjusted that in normal closed position of the circuit breakers they are spaced somewhat from the studs 39 but will engage said studs if the switch blade 31 should fall from'its pivot and will therefore prevent the spring contacts engaging against each other. Furthermore, if the switch blade 31 is swung to one side-or the other, springing one of the contacts toward the wall of the with the switch blade.

casing and permitting the other one to spring in, the stop screw of the latter contact will engage its stop stud and prevent such contact springing on into engagement Because of this swinging of the switch blade in either direction, the said blade will act to open a circuit between the spring contacts 34 and 35 which is normally closed by the switch blade 31.

Binding posts 40 are in electrical connection with the spring contacts 34 and 35 and receive wires 41 and 42, one of which leads to one of the binding posts of the motor .17 and the other of which leads to a suitable Fig. 3, the motor 17 will be energized and the brake valve will be in released position although it may be at any time moved to service or emergency position by the en-.

gineer. As soon, however, as the switch blade is swung to one side or the other, through engagement of a track obstacle, this circuit through the motor will be broken and the weighted bell crank lever will turn the armature shaft to move the valve lever to service position.

The above described locomotive equipment may be employed in connection with various forms of track systems, but is particularly intended for use in connection with a track system of the type disclosed in a patent granted to me, July 18,1916, No. 1,191,414. Furthermore, the circuit breaker of this locomotive equipment is particularly adapted for operation through engagement with a track contact of a type similar to that disclosed in a patent granted to me, Jan. 9, 1917 and bearing the number 1,211,697. In order to facilitate an-understanding of the operation of my present system, however, I have illustrated a modified form of track obstacle and controlling mechanism therefor which is best disclosed in Fig. 5.

As there shown I provide a supporting base 45 which may be mounted adjacent one of the track rails 46 and which carries upwardly directed standards 47 which journal a shaft 48 which is either a continuation of the armature shaft of an electric motor 49 or is coupled to such shaft to turn therewith. Fixed to this shaft adjacent each end are cross pieces 49 which support, at their lower ends, a preferably cylindrical trip or obstacle 50 and at their upper ends a correspondingly formed counter-weight 51. A stop 52 projecting from the base serves to limit turning of the shaft 48 in a clockwise direction due to action of the motor 49 and to hold the trip and the counter-weight in such a manner that the counter-weight is olf center so that when the motor is delinergized'it will swing downwardly to swing the trip upwardly and inwardly toward the track. A second stop 53 serves to check this turning movement when the trip 50 and, counter-weight 51 have reached a common horizontal plane. This trip mechanism. is disposed adjacent the track in such a position that when the motor is energized and the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5 the switch blade of the circuit breaker of a passing locomotive will not engage the trip member 50 and so that when the trip member 50 is swung upwardly through denergization of the motor it will project in the path of the switch blade.

A wire 54 leads from one binding post of the motor 49 to a battery or other suitable source of electrical energy 55 and a wire 56 leads from the other binding post of the motor to a swingingly mounted switch blade 57 which is supported by the post or stand ard 58 .of a semaphore 59. A wire 60 leads from the battery 55 to the fixed contact 61 which coiiperates with the contact blade or switch 57. The semaphore blade 62 is connected by a link 63 with a lever arm 64 pivoted upon the standard 58 adjacent the switch blade 57 and a link 65 pivotally connects the lever 64 and blade 57. One end of this lever 64 carries a counter-weight 66 and its-opposite end is engaged by the crank arm 67 of an electric motor 68. Wires 69 lead from this motor to a suitable track controlling system of such a character that under normal safe track conditions the motor 68 is energized and will act through its arm 67 to hold the lever in the position shown in Fig. 5. Under these circumstances the semaphore blade indicates a clear condition of the track and the switch formed by the switch blade 57 and contact 61 is closed so that the motor 49 is energized and the trip is held in inactive position. If, however, the motor 68 is deenergized the weight 66 will swing the lever to raise; the semaphore blade and to open the circuit of the motor 49 at the switch so that the tri will be swung to active position. A stop 0 may be secured to the standard 58 to check this latter swinging movement of the lever if desired. I

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e drawings, the operation of my improved block signal mechanism will be readily understood. It should be noted, however, that all circuits must be closed if the system is to give a clear signal and that therefore failure of any batteries or other sources of electrical energy, breaking of any of the wires, or injury to any of the motors,

circuit breakers, or switches, will cause the delivery of a danger signal and stopping of the train.

Although I have illustrated and described my invention in all its details it will, of course, be understood that I reservethe right to make any changes which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a safety equipment for locomotives, the combination with an engineers valve, of means independent of the valve and normally tending to move the valve to service position, but leaving it free for the usual manual manipulation, electrical means adapted when energized to hold the firstmentioned means from operation, a normally closed circuit breaker adapted to be opened through engagement by a trip located adjacent the track, and a circuit including the circuit breaker and electrical one arm engaging the'other arm of the motor shaft, a counter-weight. carried by the other arm of the bell crank lever whereby upon deenergization of the motor its shaft will be turned to turn the valve lever to service position, a trip operated circuit breaker, and a normally closed circuit through the circuit breaker and motor.

3. In a safety appliance for locomotives, thecombination with a brake valve and electrically governed means independent of the valve and arranged when released to cause movement of the brake valve to service position, but leaving it free for the usual manual manipulation, of a circuit for the electrically governed means, and 'a trip operated circuit breaker in the circuit.

4. In a safety equipment for locomotives, the combination with an engineers valve and its operating lever, of an electrical device adapted when energized to be held in one positlon and when moved to another position to move the valve lever to service position, the said device being free with re spect to the valve lever, counter-weighted means for moving the electrical device to such other position when it becomes denergized, a trip operated circuit breaker, and an energized circuit including the electrical device and circuit breaker.

5. In safety equipment for locomotives,

the combination with an engineers valve means for swinging the said arm and swinghaving a swinging valve lever, of an elecing the lever thereby'when the said mechatrical mechanism having a swinging arm nisln is denergized, a trip operated circuit 10 concentric to the axis of the lever and probreaker, and an energized circuit including 5 j voting in front thereof, the said arm being the electrical mechanism and circuit breaker hehl away from the lever when the said In testimon whereof I afiix my signature. mechanism is energized, counter-weighted GEOR E NV. GERLACH. [1,. s.] 

